Control device



Nov. 10, 1931. A. A. JOHNSON 1,831,355

CONTROL DEVICE Filed June 29, 1927 Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR A. JOHNSON, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO DIGTAPHONE COR- PORATION, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK CONTROL DEVICE Application filed June 29,

vThis invention relates to sound receiving means for dictation machines and the like, and more particularly to means for facilitating the operation of a dictation or like machine from the sound receiver.

Heretofore. sound receivers for dictation machines or mouthpieces as they are called, have been provided with a handle portion disposed at an angle tO'the'lip-engaging porm tion of the mouthpiece-so that the dictator may conveniently hold the mouthpiece-when dictating or listening to matter. previously dictated. Such mouthpieces have been providcd with manually operable an'd handcn- 5 gaged parts for facilitating; t liefoperation ot a dictation machine from 'thehan'dte-and to facilitate the holding of the hantlflle and mouthpiece in proper position, These manually engaged parts have. heretofore, been usually fixed to the handle portion; and, to

permit the handle to be held intd-ifi'erent ways so as to allow different fingers-of the hand to operate the manually operable partyet keep the lip-engaging portion of v the mouthpiece before the dictators mouth, the

sound-receiving portion of the mouthpiece was made adjustable relative to the j handle portion as disclosed in the patent toWVOOdbridge #1,630.367.

To accomplish this -resultof permitting relative adjustment of the lip-engaging portion with respect of the hand-heldxparts when it was desired to make the handle portion and lip-engaging portion integral so that it could be cast or molded. there is disclosed in my co-pending application. Serial .No. 186.947. filed -April27. 1927. means for adjusting the hand-engaged part relative to the handle and mouthpiece.

To obviate the need of adjustment of any kind and vet enable the hand-engaging part l to be operated by any of the fingers of the "hand or in any manner. the present invention provides universal means extending around the handle of the sound-receiving device or mouthpiece for operating the control mechanism of the machine. and further provides means extending entirely around the handle to act as a purchase for the finger oi 1927. Serial No. 202,252.

the operators hand so as to enable the mouthpiece to be conveniently held.

This is an extremely advantageous feature for, by means of it, the operator may at will and without making any adjustment or changes to the mouthpiece operate the control mechanism in the manner then most convenient for him.

Other features and advantageswill hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form of the invention, that at present preferred- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the mouthpiece made in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the mouthpiece shown in Fig. 1, showing the details of the control mechanismnamely, the electric switch.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through the mouthpiece shown in Figs. 1 and 2 on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the manually operable part shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The mouthpiece shown in the accompanying drawings comprises a lip-engaging portion 10 at the end of a horn-shaped portion 11 extending at an angle from the axis of the handle-portion 12 which, at its lower end, is as usual connected to a sound-conveying tube 13. The lip-engaging portion 10 is dis posed at such an angle with respect to the axis of the handle 12 as to place the lipengaging portion in proximity to the dictators lip when the handle portion is held perpendicularly and the dictators head is inclined slightly forwardly as is the custom in dictating. The sound received by the horn-shaped portion 11 is transmitted through the handle 12 to the speaking-tube 13 from where it is conveyed to the dictation machine or vice versa incase the machine is being used as a reproducing machine.

The mouthpiece of the present invention, as is shown. comprises an integral structure and is capable of being made ot molding or casting. and thus can be. economically mauutactured. Preferably. the handle portion 12 tapers in the direction of the speaking-tube. 13 so as to more conveniently fit the hand of a dictator.

In order that the dictator may easily hold the handle, and to prevent it from falling through his hand without any appreciable effort, the handle-portion is provided with an annular flange 14 which extends out beyond the main surface of the handle portion.

In dictation machines, it isusual to provide on the handle of the mouthpiece means for controlling the starting and stopping of the rotation of a record-supporting mandrel by actuating a mechanical or electrically controlled clutch on the machine.

In the present invention, the control means comprises an electric switch 15 located be tween the annular flanges 14 and 14a adapted to make contact under pressure of a digit of the operators hand. The switch. 15 comrises a ring 16 made in two sections or alt-rings 16a and 16?), preferably of molded composition, and on the inner surface of each 0f these two half rings are spring plates 17 held in place by screws 18.

To attach the switch ring 16 to the mouthpiece, it isonly necessary to place the section 16a and the section 166 together in the space between the annular flanges 14 and 14a until they overlap and fit together, in which condition they are held by screws 19, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

Each spring plate 17 is provided with a pair of oppositely extending arms 20 yieldingly engaging the bottom of an annular groove 21 formed by the flanges 14 and 14a. Since the plates 17 are arranged diametrically opposite each other, and since the arms 20 extend to points on the bottom of the annular groove at each side of the diametrical line in which the centers of the plate 17 are located, the spring arms 20 normally hold the ring 16 central with respect of the axis of the mouthpiece handle portion 12. To control an electric circuit leading to the stop and start mechanism, the ring 16 is provided with circuit-closing means so that when the ring 16 is forced into the annular groove-21 the circuit will be closed. Preferably, according to the present invention, these circuit-closing means comprise pairs of arms 22 carried by the spring plate'17.

Cooperating with the arms 22 are currentcarrying rings 23 and 24 preferably embedded in the molded handle portion 12 of the mouthpiece and located at the bottom of the annular groove 21. These current-carrying rings 23 and 24 are preferably provided with integral extensions 25 and 26 respectively reaching to a point near the lower and open end of the handle portion 12. At these points, the extensions 25 and 26 are respectively connected to current-carrying wires 27 and 28 leading to an electric stop and start mechanism such as, for instance,

To close the circuit comprising the currentcarrying rings 23 and 24, the ring 16 is pressed inwardly until the contact arms 22 engage the rings 23 and 24. This causes current to flow through the bridge constituted by the body of the plate 17 and so operates the mechanism in circuit with the wires 27 a and 28.

By having the current-carrying rings 23 and 24 in annular form, so as to extend completely around the handle portion 12 and the ring 16 held normally and yieldingly central to the axis of the mouthpiece by the spring arms 20, it was possible to press the ring inwardly from any direction to cause the circuit to be closed by the contact arms 22. For example, when the ring 16 is pressed in the direction of the arrow 29, Fig. 3, the spring arms 20 of the plate 17 at the pressure receiving side of the ring 16 will yield and spread until both sets of contact arms 22 thereon engage the current-carrying rings 23 and 24, thereby closing the circuit and actuating the stop and start mechanism. Likewise, when the ring 16 is pressed inwardly in the direction of the arrow 30, Fig. 3, one arm 20 of the plate 17 will yield until adjacent set of contact arms 22 on the pressure receiving side of the ring 16 engages with the current-carrying rings 23 and 24 to close the circuit. Again, when the direction of pressure is in the direction of arrow 31, Fig. 3, one spring arm on each of the opposite plates 17 on the pressure receiving side of the ring 16 will yield until one set of contact arms 22 of each of the plates 17 will engage with the rings 23 and 24, thereby closmg the circuit.

Thus, it will be seen that, by pressing against the ring 16 at any point about the axis of the mouthpiece, at least one set of contact arms 22 will engage with the currentcarrying rings 23 and 24 and close the circuit. Therefore, the operator can at any time change his mode of holding the mouthpiece and have his hand at any desired point around the handle 12, and yet a digit of his hand will always be in position to engage with some part of the ring 16 and therefore enable him to control the dictation machine.

This is a very advantageous feature, for, while mouthpieces have been evolved which permit setting the mouthpiece relative to a control device on the handle or setting the control devices around the handle to suit the convenience of the person dictating, the present invennon provides a control which is operable from any point around the axis of the handle without setting or necessitating any manual adjustment and yet obtains the same advantage.

WVhile the physical embodiment of the present invention is shown as applied to a type of sound-receiving device in which the sound is acoustically conducted to the dicta tion machine, it should be distinctly understood that the present invention is not limited in its scope to merely this kind of sound-receiver. For instance,'the sound may be transmitted electrically, in which case an electric surroundin transmitter may be located in the mouthpiece or handle portion, as desired.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope. ofthis invention, and porti ons ot tbe improvements may be usedwithout others. 4

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to obtain Letters Pate'n't, is I 1. A sound-receiving device for dictation machines or the like, comprising a handle portion and a mouthpiece portion connected to the handle portion; a control device comprising a ring resiliently held in a position but spaced from said handle portion, an movable toward said handle por tion upon receiving pressure at any point in its circumference; current-carrying rings on the handle portion for connection to a circuit of an electricalcontrol device; and C11- cuit-closingarms on the ring adapted to close said circuit through said current-carrying rings upon saad'ring being moved toward said handle portion. e

2. A sound-receiving deviceifor dictation machines or the like, comprising a handle portion and a mouthpiece portion connected to the handle portion; a control device comprising a ring surrounding said handle portion and spaced radially therefrom; currentcarrying rings on the handle portion'for connection to a circuit of an electrical control device; control means on the ring adapted to. close said circuit through said currentcarrying rings upon said ring being moved toward said handle portion; and resilient means on the ring for holding said control means out of contact with said current-carrying rings and yieldingly holding thering in its spaced relation to said handle portion.

3. A sound-receiving device for dictation 'machines or the like, comprising a handle portion and a mouthpiece porton connected to the handle portion; a control device comprising a ring disposed about said handle portion in spaced radial relation thereto; a pair of electrical terminal members on the handle portion for connection to a'circuit of an electrical control device; a plurality of contact members on the ring adapted to close said circuit throughsaid terminal members upon said ring being moved toward said handle portion; and spring means interposed between said ring and said handle portion for holding said contact members out of contact with said terminal members and yieldingly holding the ring in spaced relation to said handle portion, said spring means being arranged to yield and allow the said ring to be pressed inwardly at any point about the axis to close said circuit.

4. A sound-receiving device for dictation machines or the like, comprising a handle portion and a mouthpiece portion connected to the handle portion; a pair of circuit terminal members mounted upon said handle portion; and an electric switch comprising a manually operable circuit-closing ring resiliently embracing a part of the periphery of said handle portion and operable by manipulation at any point in its circumference to establish an electrical connection between said terminal members.

5. A sound-receiving device for dictation machines or the like, comprising a handle portion and a mouthpiece portion formed integral with the handle portion; a switch member comprising a manually operable control ring; and circuit-closing means mounted in said ring, said control ring being mounted exteriorly of said handle portion; currentcarrying rings on the handle portion; and

means comprising spaced flanges made in-' tegral with the handle portion and mouthpiece portion and forming an annular channel within which said control ring is operatively positioned.

6. A sound-receiving device for dictation machines or the like, comprising a handle portion and a mouthpiece portion formed integral with the handle portion; a manually operable control ring positioned about said handle portion and comprising circuitclosing means; current-carrying rings on the handle portion; and means comprising flanges made integral with the handle portion and mouthpiece portion and located at opposite sides of the current-carrying rings to enclose the same and the said circuit-closing means to provide a guideway for the said manually operable control ring.

7 A sound-receiving device for dictation machines or the like, comprising a handle portion and a mouthpiece portion formed integral with the handle portion; a manually operable control ring positioned about said handle portion; and means comprising outwardly extending flanges made integral with the handle and mouthpiece portion to provide a guideway tor the said control ring, at least one of said flanges being made large enough to act as a rest to position the operators hand relative to the said control ring.

8. A sound-receiving device for dictation machines or the like, comprising a handle portion and a mouthpiece portion; and an electric switch on the handle portion'comprising a manually operable annular ring held in resilient spaced position embracing a part of the circumference of said handle portion.

9. A sound-receiving device for dictation machines or the like, comprising a handle portion and a mouthpiece portion; an electric switch on the handle portion comprising a ring disposed in spaced relation exteriorly of said handle portion; and means for supporting the ring to allow its operation by pressure manually applied at any point in the circumference of said ring.

10. A sound-receiving device for dictation machines or the like, comprising a handle portion; and a mouthpiece portion; and a remote control device comprising a manually operable ring embracing the handle portion which can be operated from any point about the circumference thereof.

' 11. A sound-receiving device for dictation machines or the like, comprising a handleportion; manually operable control means comprising a ring embracing the handle portion operable from any position aboutthe circum- I ference thereof; and means comprising an outwardly flaring flange to position the operators hand relative to the said manually operable control means.

12. A sound-receiving device for dictation machines or the like, comprising a handle portion; a mouthpiece portion; a control device on the handle portion comprising circuit closing means and a manually operable ring disposed about a portion of said handle portion; and means comprising outwardly flaring flanges on said handle portion adapted to serve as retainers for said manually operable ring and enclose said circuit closing means.

Signed at Bridgeport in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut this 28th day of June, 1927.

ARTHUR A. JOHNSON. 

